Food Security / Livelihoods Specialist

Islamic Relief Pakistan

POSITION TITLE:  Food Security and Livelihood Specialist

REPORTING TO:    Manager Strategic Partnership & Business Development

DEPARTMENT:      Strategic Partnership Unit / Programmes

DUTY STATION:    Country Office

CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed Term

Job Purpose:

• The Food Security and Livelihood Specialist is a technical position within the country team which will contribute towards reinforcement of the food security and livelihood strategic priorities and direction.
• This post fits into a country programme under Strategic Partnership & Business Development Unit in Islamabad office; however with frequent travelling to IRP operational areas.
• The position reports to Manager Strategic Partnership & Business Development.

KEY RESULT AREAS

Technical Level

• To give a strategic direction on Livelihoods with focus on income, food and nutrition security.
• To design and monitor the programme/projects on food security and livelihoods for development and humanitarian.
• To provide technical backstopping to the project team with support from the area management and build capacity of IR Pakistan country office and field team

Operational Level

• To lead, coordinate and facilitate knowledge sharing and be a face for IR for representation at various forums for food security and livelihoods discussions.

Organizational Level

• To build and maintain partnership/network and support in mobilising resources through workable food security and livelihood strategy and donors mapping.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (Bullets Points)

The following are the main responsibilities that the role holder will be accountable for:

Relationship management of new and existing partners / donors.

• Explore long-term partnerships with wider community, ensuring a strong link between grassroots and national-level work.
• Build and maintain partnership/network and support resources mobilization through workable livelihood strategy.
• Lead and develop relationships engage with institutional donor agencies, peer organisations, umbrella organisations, forums, networks and other key stakeholders.
• Lead the designing, reviewing and revision of the food security and livelihood (FSL) strategic & fundraising frame work with support of Manager based on the context and changes.

Coordination with technical and operational functions

• Backstop the process of ensuring the coordination and collaboration between country and area management for cohesive and consistent interaction with partners / donors.
• Provide strategic leadership to field based technical staff to ensure execution of actions.
• As technical specialist you will lead initiatives to develop staff in order to ensure that the stream is capable of fully achieving its agreed targets.
• Development, review of strategy, work plans, and systems will be led by the position holder.
• Backstop MEAL team in the process of inceptions and support Area Managers and team understand the design, activity and strategy for smooth implementation of the projects.
• Devise strategic engagement plans within the stream in consultation with colleagues (peers and Area teams) to explore country and province level partnerships with counter parts, national/local NGOs, academia and government entities leading towards joint programming.
• Backstop the procurement cycle to ensure efficiency and quality of the procurements.
• Periodically review the assessment / mapping of prospective institutional and corporate donors contributing towards strategic decision making and prepositioning.

Support Grant management and compliance.

• Regularly conduct, policy reviews & analysis of the livelihood sectors identifying trends and guide organizational vision, programme developments and strategies.
• Lead the process of consolidating and summarizing the donor specific grants guidelines related to food security and livelihood calls and continuously conduct donor mapping to build relationships with institutional donors.
• Present the dynamics and strategic direction of the current developments, trends and future plans of the donors in your stream to Management Team. Organize briefing session with the peer team on key risks, issues and mitigations.
• Lead the design cycle of the concept notes and proposals, while acquiring support of peers as well as from the Area teams.
• Establish that the flow of right and strategic information from FSL is maintained by MEAL and Communication teams.
• Support the Manager Strategic Partnerships & Business Development understanding contractual modalities to leading to negotiations and the contract review processes.
• Ensure and embed best practices to meet donor compliance requirements in collaboration with MEAL by providing guidance to relevant teams to improve understanding of the grants and contracts.
• Lead the capacity building programme on proposal development, Project Cycle management as well as developing related manuals and guidelines.

Others

• Support and plan periodic reviews and evaluation of the livelihood projects with support from MEAL.
• Support the management team to envision and review country strategic plans by assessing current trends of the industry.
• Provide strategic insights to the leadership team in exploring and establishing key partnerships, networks and alliances.
• Carry out other management responsibilities/assignment as requested by the line manager.
• Contribute to profiling the work of IRP and IR family at regional and global forums.

 PERSON SPECIFICATION

• It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and sympathy with the organizational values & principles, vision and mission as well as commitment to its SEAH (sexual exploitation abuse and harassment) protocols.
• We have zero tolerance policy towards SEAH and doesn’t support any action that promote or encourage SEAH.
• Sound understanding and experience of at least 9 years in managing the livelihood portfolio especially agricultural value chains and enterprise development, food security, micro enterprises, in project / program / portfolio setup / design, planning, resource allocation / management, implementation, stakeholder management, monitoring / oversight, and risk management.

Qualification:

• Masters/Bachelor in Agriculture, Development Economics and Social Sciences or any other related discipline
• Ability to manage a team, motivate and organise staff.
• Ability to prioritize and work efficiently under pressure and subject to changing priorities; meeting deadlines, and using judgement and initiative in problem solving.
• Good understanding of institutional relations and funding landscape.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of project management cycle, including project management tools such as Logical Framework Approach/ Result Based Management.
• Capacity to research and analyse significant amounts of information, report on these in a synthetic manner, and take sound decisions on that basis where required.
• Analytical thinking and problem solving skills.

Experience:

• At least 9 (years with Master degree)/12 (years with bachelor degree) of experience in managing Livelihood portfolio as a development practionner working with a reputable international NGO with demonstrable field experience at a senior level.
• Demonstrative track record in managing relations with institutional bodies and partnership development.
• Track record in managing relations with institutional bodies and partnership development.
• Track record in working with, influencing and securing funding from institutions.
• Track record in developing plans and reporting regularly to senior management.
• Track record in designing and implementing technical trainings for field offices and others.
• Experience in working with multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven experience of field operational issues.
• Ability and motivation to travel nationally and internationally.
• Team work skills with the ability to work with different and sometime conflicting agendas.
• Motivational skills to effectively and efficiently manage staff.

Computer Skills:

Excellent levels of computer literacy (Microsoft office).

Language:

Full working knowledge of English is essential.